Piece of clothing having ventilation openings

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a piece of clothing, particularly a jacket for sporting activities. The piece of clothing ( 1 ) has ventilation openings ( 7 ) in the chest region and/or on the back, wherein the openings have means ( 8 ) for closing, which can be actuated by an adjustment mechanism ( 9 ). The means ( 8 ) for closing are formed by a fabric layer ( 81 ) that can be moved in the region of the opening ( 7 ).

The invention relates to a piece of clothing, particularly a jacket for sports activities, which is provided with ventilation openings in the area of the chest and/or the back, whereby the openings have closing means that can be activated by means of an adjusting mechanism.

Because of the sweat accumulating during sports activities, special requirements in regard to the removal of sweat or sweat vapor, as the case may be, are placed on pieces of clothing for sports activities. At the same time, the pieces of clothing should be waterproof during activities in the open air, in order to offer sufficient protection during wet weather and, at the same time, to protect the specific athlete against an excessively rapid cooling off after sports activities.

It is already known to manufacture pieces of clothing for sports activities from waterproofed or plastic-coated textiles. The waterproofed materials are generally sufficiently breathable, but are only partially waterproof, however. Plastic-coated materials are just the opposite—that is to say, they are generally sufficiently waterproof but only partially breathable, however. It is additionally known to manufacture pieces of clothing from laminates, in which a weatherproof membrane is laminated on an outer shell material, on which membrane a loose lining, generally a fabric or mesh fabric, is positioned on the interior. The lining can also be laminated, along with the outer shell material and the weatherproof membrane, into a cohesive material in the form of a three-layer laminate.

The known pieces of clothing, both those made from waterproofed or plastic-coated textiles as well as from laminates, have the problem that the breathability is too low during vigorous physical activity. In particular, jackets provided with membranes are able to provide a certain breathability, which is brought about through the interplay of waterproofing and breathability; a partial pressure builds up underneath . . . the piece of clothing, which is intended to make the breathability of the membrane possible. This capacity for breathability is extraordinarily limited, however. Experiments have shown that the essential ventilation underneath the pieces of clothing, particularly jackets, during sports activities takes place through the opening at the neck. A continuous draft thereby comes about on the neck, which significantly controls the aeration and ventilation. Moreover, both the aeration as well as the ventilation are carried out through additional openings in the piece of clothing, such as in the area of the armpits, for example.

One consequence of the deficient breathability of the known pieces of clothing is that the high humidity on the inner sides of the pieces of clothing condenses, so that the condensed water runs off on the inner sides of the piece of clothing. The extraordinarily high humidity underneath the piece of clothing that results from the same leads to a saturation, which brings about a drop in performance while wearing the piece of clothing.

The invention is intended to provide relief in this connection. The task that forms the basis for the invention is that of creating a piece of clothing, particularly a jacket for sports activities, in which an improvement of the aeration and ventilation is brought about and the requirements placed on the piece of clothing for wind- and waterproofing are fulfilled at the same time. This task is solved in accordance with the invention through the fact that the closing means are formed from a fabric layer that is movable in the area of the opening.

By means of the invention, a piece of clothing, particularly a jacket for sports activities, is created which makes possible a considerable improvement of the climate inside the piece of clothing, along with simultaneous wind- and waterproofing. A drop in performance from excessive humidity inside the piece of clothing is thereby prevented. The user of the piece of clothing has the possibility of releasing the entrance openings upon excessive accumulation of sweat, so that an exchange of air is possible, in order to consequently bring about an improvement of the climate inside the piece of clothing. In order to prevent a cooling off after the sports activities, . . . the specific user can easily close the opening again.

Other further developments and configurations of the invention are given in the remaining sub-claims. One embodiment of the invention is depicted in the diagrams and is described in individual terms in the following diagrams. These depict the following:

FIG. 1: A view from the front of a piece of clothing in the form of a jacket;

FIG. 2: A view from the outside of an opening in the piece of clothing depicted in FIG. 1, in an enlarged representation;

FIG. 3: A view of the opening depicted in FIG. 2 from the outside, in the active position;

FIG. 4: A view of the opening depicted in FIG. 2 from the inside, in the closed position;

FIG. 5: A view of the opening depicted in FIG. 2 from the inside, in a partially closed position; and:

FIG. 6: A view of the opening depicted in FIG. 2 from the inside, in the open position.

The piece of clothing chosen as the embodiment is a jacket 1, which is manufactured from a wind- and water-repellent material. It is provided on the inside with an inner lining 2, which is lightweight and has comfortable wearing characteristics. The jacket 1 can be closed on its front side by means of a zipper 3. It has sleeves 4. The jacket 1 is provided with a collar 5, on which a hood 6 is placed. The hood 6 is attached to the jacket 1 in a detachable manner, such as by means of a zipper or snap fasteners, for example.

Inside the jacket 1, ventilation openings 7 are provided in the chest area on both sides of the zipper 3. The ventilation openings 7 have closing means 8. The means 8 for closing the openings 7 can be activated by means of an adjusting mechanism 9.

The ventilation opening 7 is covered on the outside by a structure 10. The structure 10 is made from plastic and attached to the circumference of the opening 7 in the wind- and water-repellent material of the jacket 1. The attachment can be carried out by means of sewing, gluing, or other types of attachment. In this embodiment, rivets 11 are additionally used for the attachment. The structure 10 is provided with an all-round border 101, which serves for the above-stated type of the attachment of the structure 10 to the jacket 1. Longitudinal- and transverse units 102 extend from the border 101, so that the structure 10 forms the shape of a grid. Rectangular holes 103 are formed between the longitudinal- and transverse units 102. Guide units 104 in the form of boreholes are provided in the structure 10, on the upper and lower end of the structure 10.

The means 8 for the closing of the ventilation opening 7 are formed by a fabric layer 81. The fabric layer 81 is, preferably, a weatherproof membrane that has a microporous, air-permeable layer which is water vapor-permeable. This can be either a membrane that has pores, as well as a membrane that works without pores. The membrane is impermeable to water and wind; body moisture, in the form of water vapor, however, can pass or diffuse through the membrane, as the case may be, so that the membrane is breathable. The possibility also exists, however, to use other types of fabric, such as waterproofed or plastic-coated textiles, for example.

In this embodiment, the means 8 for the closing of the ventilation opening 7, and thereby of the fabric layer 81, are positioned movably in the area of the opening 7. In the embodiment, the fabric layer 81 is vertically displaceable in the area of the areas surrounded by the border 101. A horizontal displaceability is likewise possible. The vertical orientation, however, has the advantage that the mechanism is supported by gravity. The fabric layer 81 is provided on its upper end with a horizontally-oriented reinforcement 82.

The adjusting mechanism 9 in the embodiment is formed by a cord 91. The cord 91 has grips 92 on both its ends. As can be inferred, in particular, from FIGS. 2 and 3, the cord 91 passes through the guide units 104, from the area behind the structure 10 to the external side of the jacket. The adjusting mechanism 9 is connected with the means 8 in a simple manner; in the embodiment, the cord 91 is connected with the reinforcement 82 that is positioned on the upper end of the fabric layer 81.

On the inner side of the jacket 1, the ventilation opening 7 is provided with a covering 12. In the embodiment, the covering 12 is made from the same material as the inner lining 2, so that a skin-friendly and thereby pleasant wearing comfort is created, even in the area of the ventilation opening 7. The covering 12 in the embodiment is sewn with the inner lining 2. Circular holes 121 are provided in the covering 12. The holes 121 make the entrance of inflowing air into the jacket possible in the opened condition of the ventilation opening 7. The shape of the holes 121 has only been selected by way of an example. Other forms can obviously also find application.

In the embodiment, the fabric layer 81 is positioned between the structure 10, which covers the ventilation opening 7 on the outer side, and the covering 12, which covers the ventilation opening 7 on the inner side of the jacket 1. In the embodiment, the fabric layer 81 is consequently guided between the structure 10 and the covering 12. The fabric layer 81 is likewise guided laterally in the area of the border 101. A reliable movability of the fabric layer 81 is consequently guaranteed overall.

In FIGS. 4 to 6, the various positions during the closing of the opening 7 are depicted with the help of the fabric layer 81. In FIG. 4, the ventilation opening 7 is completely closed by the fabric layer 81. On the other hand, a position in which the ventilation opening 7 is partially released is depicted in FIG. 5. This is evident because the cross-units 102, as well as the holes 103 of the structure 10, are visible through the holes 121 of the covering 12. In the embodiment . . . in accordance with FIG. 6, the ventilation opening 7 is completely opened; in this, the structure 10, and thereby the cross-units 102 as well as the holes 103, are visible through nearly all holes 121.

The means 8 for the closing of the ventilation opening 7, in the form of the fabric layer 81 provided on the jacket 1, offer the possibility of achieving an improvement in the exchange of air in the jacket 1. By shifting the fabric layer 81, an entrance of air through the ventilation opening 7 is possible. The climate control in the jacket 1 is consequently improved. The possibility of opening the ventilation opening 7 in areas with the help of the fabric layer 81 additionally offers the possibility of releasing the opening 7 in a manner that adjusted to the specific conditions. By this means, a regulation of the climate conditions inside the jacket is thereby possible, which considerably increases the comfort of the jacket in comparison with known jackets.

The activation of the means 8 is carried out through simple pulling on the cord 91 by hand, which is indicated by an “X” in FIG. 3, whereby a drawing on the upper cord 91 exiting from the structure 10 results in a closing of the opening 7, while a drawing on the cord exiting at the bottom results in an opening.

The invention described by means of the jacket is not restricted to this. It is likewise applicable to overalls, coats, or the like. 

1. A piece of clothing, particularly a jacket for sports activities, which is provided with ventilation openings in the chest area and/or on the back, whereby the openings have closing means that can be activated by means of an adjusting mechanism, characterized in that, the means (8), which are movable in the area of the opening (7), are formed for the closing of a fabric layer (81), whereby the fabric layer (81) is provided between a structure (10) and a covering (12).
 2. A piece of clothing in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the fabric layer (81) is formed from a microporous, air-permeable material.
 3. A piece of clothing in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the structure (10) is grid-like.
 4. A piece of clothing in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the covering (12) has holes (121).
 5. A piece of clothing in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the adjusting mechanism is formed by a cord (91).
 6. A piece of clothing in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that the structure 10 is grid-like.
 7. A piece of clothing in accordance with clam 2 characterized in that, the covering (12) has holes (121).
 8. A piece of clothing in accordance with claim 3 characterized in that, the covering (12) has holes (121).
 9. A piece of clothing for sports activities comprising at least a front and a back, ventilation openings (7) in the front, closing means for closing the ventilation openings (7), said closing means including a layer (81) on the inside of the front, and adjusting mechanism (9) operatively connected to the layer (81) for selectively opening and closing the ventilation openings (7), the adjusting mechanism being formed by a cord (91) having first and second ends, that extends through openings in the front for activation by the user, whereby activation of the first end of the cord by a user will close the ventilation openings (7) and activation of the second end of the cord by a user will open the ventilation openings (7). 